How Do You Build A Library in the Age of Google?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 02.28.08
David Monack
Witold Rybczynski asks that question in response to the possible demolition of Washington's Martin Luther King Jr. Library, the only one designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. A task force calls it "an outmoded structure erected long before the advent of the digital world." Rybczynski writes in Slate:
Historic preservation aside, this raises an interesting question: What sort of public library does the "digital world" of Google, Wikipedia, and Kindle require?
The answer appears to be that nobody knows. Robert Stern Retro seems to be all the rage, trying to recreate the Reading Room of the New York Public Library. Rem Koolhaas' Seattle library is "a single, freewheeling space inside a giant, multilevel greenhouse. This is the library conceived as a drop-in center, filled with computer terminals, magazine and newspaper racks, lots of comfortable seats, and, yes, even bookshelves."
Leonard G
It is too early to know the answer to the question of what libraries will be in twenty years, but Rybczynski concludes: "in its mutating role as urban hangout, meeting place, and arbiter of information, the public library seems far from spent. This has less to do with the digital world—or the digital word—than with the age-old need for human contact." ::Slate
The MLK library in DC sucks.
Is it the architecture? Certainly not. The collection is small and very poor, the space is horribly maintained and 1/2 of anything with a motor is broken, the A/C is crap, and finding a spot to hook up a laptop and use their crappy free WiFi is so troublesome I gave up and headed out to Starbucks.
Their solution isn't tearing it down and building new, it's to fund the library. Fund it, staff it, and it will be a fine example of a modern library.
My community is completely overhauling and adding onto its public library (it will be LEED certified, with my help of course - I'm not kidding), and it's going to be more of a community center than the previous library. It will have computers, lounge areas, a cafe, multimedia centers. Obviously we have no idea what technology will be here in 20 years to displace mp3's or DVDs, so the library is being made to be a very flexible place as well.
John Laumer - I'm near Philly, so in a couple years, expect an email about a newly completed LEED library.
Currently the U.S. is spending $177 Million per day in Iraq.
How about diverting JUST 1 HOUR of the Iraq war funding to fix up and improve the MLK Library ?
I believe $ 7,375,000 could go a long way to improving the maintenance, staffing level, collection, and WiFi and PC access at the library.
Imagine what could be done with just 1 day of Iraq level funding - $ 177 Million dollars could be used to buy up available land surrounding the Martin Luther King, Jr. Library - and double the size of the building, with a outdoor garden / amphitheater, add on 3 retail 'slots' to put in a StarBucks, and two other stores - with profits from renting the space going to fund the library.
More parking space and green space could be created around the Library - expanding it with community center rooms for free public activities, yoga classes, small music and play performances - $177 million - just 1 day of the Iraq occupation would go a long way to expand and improve the Martin Luther King Jr. Library,
This is a beautiful building that just needs some TLC,
not demolished to erase the memory of Martin Luther King, Jr.
I am a network tech at a library and we have public meeting rooms (we have 3 of them and so many groups want to use them we have to turn people down)
35- 50 adult pcs and another 30 or so childrens pcs, free wifi and tons of programs. we arent as we are medium funded and are expanding our internet service.
Also we have all the latest movies and blue ray movies. MP3 book downloads and free movie downlaods.
I dont understand why public libraries with more funding have less?